Hurricane, farm bill expiration, and dock strike will likely lead to higher food prices, shortages, supply chain bottlenecks, and increased food insecurity. A snapshot of where we're at.
First of all, crops always fail somewhere. It sucks when it is here but that is a normal part of food production. There are no guarantees that every crop you plant will perform and generate a profit. That is why they average out the risk with crop insurance.
A lot of the spending in farm bills doesn't actually go to create more food. It often goes to pay farmers not to produce to keep prices higher. It is a game of supply and demand. Crops mature at about the same time. As supply increases when it is ready for market, that drives prices down. When waiting for the next crop to come in, prices go up.
For the most part, the system is pretty robust. The dire predictions of more frequent weather events really hasn't materialized. The jury is still out on that one. Maybe it might be a bit higher frequency but it is not really clear if there is a sustained increase over the long term. We also have a lot better reporting of the weather than we have had historically. That may also help to make it seem like more weather events are occurring. What is true is that is that we farm a lot of marginal acreage that is susceptible to weather events but that has always been true. Hurricanes happen every year. Sometimes they hit here, sometimes they don't.
When they clamor for disaster relief, it is not Bob down by the river with his cabbage patch or Fred with his 20 head of milk cows. While the issue is just as real to them, they don't get the press. What gets the press is when Tyson Foods or the like corporate agriculture giants get hit. They are the ones who are lobbying Congress. Bob and Fred don't get their calls returned.
The timing of labor negotiations doesn't just randomly occur. It goes on when the companies are vulnerable. When things are going well, they just don't have the leverage.
In all, it isn't a bad thing. It is just the way it works. We have a global supply chain for food. It is available most of the time because differences in climate around the world makes it possible. Even with the current disasters, we have more food available than in any time in history.
I would agree with you completely, as long as the free market is allowed to set prices, and trade freely. We are in danger of losing this mechanism to socialist ideologues. I agree its not a big issue yet, but I fear in 10 years it may just be.
Well, the thing is, we can't just play "Choose your preferred dystopia." The whole capitalism vs. socialism is a red herring. Unconstrained capitalism can be just as bad as unconstrained socialism with the added thrill of not getting to vote on anything.
You can say, "Well, you vote with you dollars." That only works up to a point. For that to work, it takes two things: a workable alternative that won't bankrupt you and denying enough money to make it painful for the company.
Our system is mixed between the two economic models and that is a good thing. The battle is to set the limits on both models to choose which model we will use for what task and how to keep them from taking our property and freedoms away. I don't want to give up protections or rights to either one. Both government and companies have the goals of being able to expand their power and to control everything. Our goal as people is to keep them both in check and have them serve our needs.
We the people have the responsibility as our role in the system to make sure that we maintain the power and don't abdicate it to either the government or any business.
In the short term things appear to be getting worse as far as food security, but if you take the long view maybe there is some hope. Whether these dock strikes and supply chain issues are random or maybe intended somehow (to speed up our demise) I don't know but it doesn't seem to matter too much. The old paradigm of Big Agra, Big Tech, Big Money growing unobstructed is now being questioned in many circles. It's become too big, too greedy and too fragile now. The system is based on destructive and disruptive mass farming practices that are unsustainable. It's morally bereft; trading short term profits for future sickness and demise. We now live in a time where we need to pull back from modern conveniences; instant food and gratification, and take responsibility for our own health. Once you realize you can't trust doctors, regulatory agencies, governments, media and so on, it's very discouraging to say the least. The food, the land, the air and water are being poisoned so do we really need to save this system of mass production? Ironically small organic and regenerative farms would help solve the climate crisis and the health crisis.
The duck and goose hunting in Georgia is going to be something else with all these flooded fields. Upside to everything!
It is a mixed bag.
First of all, crops always fail somewhere. It sucks when it is here but that is a normal part of food production. There are no guarantees that every crop you plant will perform and generate a profit. That is why they average out the risk with crop insurance.
A lot of the spending in farm bills doesn't actually go to create more food. It often goes to pay farmers not to produce to keep prices higher. It is a game of supply and demand. Crops mature at about the same time. As supply increases when it is ready for market, that drives prices down. When waiting for the next crop to come in, prices go up.
For the most part, the system is pretty robust. The dire predictions of more frequent weather events really hasn't materialized. The jury is still out on that one. Maybe it might be a bit higher frequency but it is not really clear if there is a sustained increase over the long term. We also have a lot better reporting of the weather than we have had historically. That may also help to make it seem like more weather events are occurring. What is true is that is that we farm a lot of marginal acreage that is susceptible to weather events but that has always been true. Hurricanes happen every year. Sometimes they hit here, sometimes they don't.
When they clamor for disaster relief, it is not Bob down by the river with his cabbage patch or Fred with his 20 head of milk cows. While the issue is just as real to them, they don't get the press. What gets the press is when Tyson Foods or the like corporate agriculture giants get hit. They are the ones who are lobbying Congress. Bob and Fred don't get their calls returned.
The timing of labor negotiations doesn't just randomly occur. It goes on when the companies are vulnerable. When things are going well, they just don't have the leverage.
In all, it isn't a bad thing. It is just the way it works. We have a global supply chain for food. It is available most of the time because differences in climate around the world makes it possible. Even with the current disasters, we have more food available than in any time in history.
I would agree with you completely, as long as the free market is allowed to set prices, and trade freely. We are in danger of losing this mechanism to socialist ideologues. I agree its not a big issue yet, but I fear in 10 years it may just be.
Well, the thing is, we can't just play "Choose your preferred dystopia." The whole capitalism vs. socialism is a red herring. Unconstrained capitalism can be just as bad as unconstrained socialism with the added thrill of not getting to vote on anything.
You can say, "Well, you vote with you dollars." That only works up to a point. For that to work, it takes two things: a workable alternative that won't bankrupt you and denying enough money to make it painful for the company.
Our system is mixed between the two economic models and that is a good thing. The battle is to set the limits on both models to choose which model we will use for what task and how to keep them from taking our property and freedoms away. I don't want to give up protections or rights to either one. Both government and companies have the goals of being able to expand their power and to control everything. Our goal as people is to keep them both in check and have them serve our needs.
We the people have the responsibility as our role in the system to make sure that we maintain the power and don't abdicate it to either the government or any business.
In the short term things appear to be getting worse as far as food security, but if you take the long view maybe there is some hope. Whether these dock strikes and supply chain issues are random or maybe intended somehow (to speed up our demise) I don't know but it doesn't seem to matter too much. The old paradigm of Big Agra, Big Tech, Big Money growing unobstructed is now being questioned in many circles. It's become too big, too greedy and too fragile now. The system is based on destructive and disruptive mass farming practices that are unsustainable. It's morally bereft; trading short term profits for future sickness and demise. We now live in a time where we need to pull back from modern conveniences; instant food and gratification, and take responsibility for our own health. Once you realize you can't trust doctors, regulatory agencies, governments, media and so on, it's very discouraging to say the least. The food, the land, the air and water are being poisoned so do we really need to save this system of mass production? Ironically small organic and regenerative farms would help solve the climate crisis and the health crisis.
That is true, however the price issue will sink those that have been so used to paying (historically) such a small % of their budget to food.